L.A. to Crack Down on Curfew Violations

Spurred by continued gang violence, Los Angeles police announced Friday that they will begin cracking down this weekend on minors who violate the city’s 10 p.m. curfew, which has rarely been enforced in recent years.

“We’re going to proceed with a lot of reasonableness,” said Assistant Chief Robert L. Vernon. “Young people will be warned, but if they remain in the area, we will have special details checking on them . . . and if they don’t (leave) they will be arrested.”

Vernon added that parents may be held accountable if their children are repeatedly arrested for curfew violations.

Under Los Angeles’ Municipal Code, “no person under the age of 18 years shall loiter about any public street, avenue, park or other public place between the hours of 10 p.m. and sunrise the following day” unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian over the age of 21.

Target Gang Violence

The crackdown will be citywide, but concentrated, at least initially, in South-Central Los Angeles, where gang violence is heaviest, Vernon said.

Vernon said that some officers assigned curfew duties will be paid overtime from a special $900,000 fund recently allocated by the City Council, whose members expressed support for the Police Department’s plan.

“Strict enforcement of the curfew is a crucial step in taking a significant part of this criminal element off the streets,” said City Councilman Nate Holden. His district encompasses parts of South-Central and Southwest Los Angeles, where many neighborhoods are ravaged by street gangs.

According to police statistics, there have been at least 132 gang-related homicides in the city so far this year. That compares to 119 gang-related murders through the end of August, 1986.